Agni Purana — Sahitya-shastra, Shloka 7
Chapter 342: शब्दालङ्काराः
Verbal/Sound-based Ornaments
अकारवर्जमावृत्तिः स्वराणामतिभूयसी अनुस्वारविसर्गौ च पारुष्याय निरन्तरौ
akāravarjamāvṛttiḥ svarāṇāmatibhūyasī anusvāravisargau ca pāruṣyāya nirantarau
‘অ’ বাদ দিয়ে স্বরগুলির অতিরিক্ত পুনরাবৃত্তি, এবং অনুস্বার ও বিসর্গের অবিরত প্রয়োগ—উচ্চারণে পরুষতা (কঠোরতা) সৃষ্টি করে।
Lord Agni (traditionally instructing Sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s encyclopedic teachings)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Alamkara","secondary_vidya":"Vyakarana","practical_application":"Editing and composing Sanskrit verse/prose to avoid phonetic harshness by controlling vowel repetition (except a), and limiting overuse of anusvāra/visarga.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Causes of Pāruṣya: vowel repetition and anusvāra/visarga overuse","lookup_keywords":["pāruṣya","anusvāra","visarga","svara-āvṛtti","mādhurya"],"quick_summary":"Teaches that excessive repetition of vowels (excluding a) and continual anusvāra/visarga usage produce rough/harsh sound, guiding poets and reciters toward euphony."}
Concept: Aesthetic discipline begins at the phonetic level; restraint in sound-markers preserves clarity and sweetness.
Application: While composing or chanting, reduce repeated ī/ū/e/ai/o/au patterns and avoid stacking anusvāra/visarga to prevent abrasive cadence.
Khanda Section: Sahitya-shastra (Chandas & Shiksha / Sanskrit phonetics and euphony)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A poet-scribe revises a manuscript, marking repeated vowels and circling anusvāra/visarga signs, while a teacher indicates smoother alternatives for mellifluous sound.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, scribe and guru with manuscript, visible anusvāra dots and visarga marks highlighted, warm ochres, stylized gestures indicating ‘avoid excess’, traditional ornamental frame.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, poet with stylus and palm-leaf, gold-leaf emphasis on the symbols ṃ and ḥ, rich textile patterns, calm didactic mood.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, close-up instructional scene with annotated verse lines, neat calligraphy, arrows showing where repetition occurs, soft colors, clarity-focused composition.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, atelier scene with calligrapher and scholar, marginal notes pointing to repeated vowels and ṃ/ḥ, fine brushwork, subdued palette."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: अकारवर्जमावृत्तिः → अकार-वर्जम् + आवृत्तिः; स्वराणामतिभूयसी → स्वराणाम् + अति-भूयसी.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 342.6; Agni Purana 342.8; Agni Purana 342.9
FAQs
It gives a phonetic/aesthetic rule from śikṣā-kāvya practice: avoid overloading speech or verse with repeated non-a vowels and with frequent anusvāra (ṃ) and visarga (ḥ), as this produces pāruṣya (harsh sound).
Beyond mythology and ritual, the Agni Purana preserves technical śāstra material—here, Sanskrit sound-science and poetic euphony—showing it functions as a compendium that includes grammar, prosody, and literary aesthetics.
Clear, non-harsh recitation supports śuddha-ucchāraṇa (pure utterance), which is traditionally held to preserve mantra efficacy and cultivate sāttvika speech, reducing verbal roughness that can disturb devotional focus.